Former actress spent several nights in New York last month before celebration with A-list pals

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Meghan, Duchess of Sussex (L) and Britain's Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, watch a musical performance at Canada House, the offices of the High Commision of Canada in the United Kingdom, during an event to mark Commonwealth Day, in central London, on March 11, 2019. - Britain's Queen Elizabeth II has been the Head of the Commonwealth throughout her reign. Organised by the Royal Commonwealth Society, the Service is the largest annual inter-faith gathering in the United Kingdom. (Photo by Chris Jackson / POOL / AFP) (Photo credit should read CHRIS JACKSON/AFP/Getty Images)

Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, attends an event at Canada House, the offices of the High Commision of Canada in the United Kingdom, to mark Commonwealth Day, in central London, on March 11, 2019. - Britain's Queen Elizabeth II has been the Head of the Commonwealth throughout her reign. Organised by the Royal Commonwealth Society, the Service is the largest annual inter-faith gathering in the United Kingdom. (Photo by Chris Jackson / POOL / AFP) (Photo credit should read CHRIS JACKSON/AFP/Getty Images)

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LONDON, ENGLAND - MARCH 11: Meghan, Duchess of Sussex leaves following a Commonwealth Day Service at Westminster Abbey on March 11, 2019 in London, England. (Photo by Jack Taylor/Getty Images)

Britain's Meghan, Duchess of Sussex (2R) talks with Britain's Prince Charles, Prince of Wales (R) as Britain's Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, (L) talks with Britain's Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, (2L) as they all attend the Commonwealth Day service at Westminster Abbey in London on March 11, 2019. - Britain's Queen Elizabeth II has been the Head of the Commonwealth throughout her reign. Organised by the Royal Commonwealth Society, the Service is the largest annual inter-faith gathering in the United Kingdom. (Photo by Richard Pohle / POOL / AFP) (Photo credit should read RICHARD POHLE/AFP/Getty Images)

LONDON, ENGLAND - MARCH 11: Meghan, Duchess of Sussex departs the Commonwealth Service on Commonwealth Day at Westminster Abbey on March 11, 2019 in London, England. The Commonwealth represents 53 countries and almost 2.4 billion people and 2019 marks the 70th anniversary of the modern Commonwealth, enabling cooperation towards social, political and economic development. (Photo by Chris Jackson/Getty Images)

Meghan, Duchess of Sussex (2R) and Britain's Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex (R), react as they are presented with baby gifts by Canadian High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Janice Charette (2L), at Canada House, the offices of the High Commision of Canada in the United Kingdom, during an event to mark Commonwealth Day, in central London, on March 11, 2019. - Britain's Queen Elizabeth II has been the Head of the Commonwealth throughout her reign. Organised by the Royal Commonwealth Society, the Service is the largest annual inter-faith gathering in the United Kingdom. (Photo by Chris Jackson / POOL / AFP) (Photo credit should read CHRIS JACKSON/AFP/Getty Images)

Meghan, Duchess of Sussex (L) and Britain's Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, attend an event at Canada House, the offices of the High Commision of Canada in the United Kingdom, to mark Commonwealth Day, in central London, on March 11, 2019. - Britain's Queen Elizabeth II has been the Head of the Commonwealth throughout her reign. Organised by the Royal Commonwealth Society, the Service is the largest annual inter-faith gathering in the United Kingdom. (Photo by Chris Jackson / POOL / AFP) (Photo credit should read CHRIS JACKSON/AFP/Getty Images)

(L-R) Britain's Meghan, Duchess of Sussex and Britain's Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, talk with British musician Grace Chatto, part of the group "Clean Bandit", who performed during the Commonwealth Day service at Westminster Abbey in London on March 11, 2019. - Britain's Queen Elizabeth II has been the Head of the Commonwealth throughout her reign. Organised by the Royal Commonwealth Society, the Service is the largest annual inter-faith gathering in the United Kingdom. (Photo by Richard Pohle / POOL / AFP) (Photo credit should read RICHARD POHLE/AFP/Getty Images)

Prince Harry and his wife Meghan, Duke & Duchess of Sussex, visit the Kasbah of the Udayas near the Moroccan capital Rabat. on February 25, 2019. (Photo by FADEL SENNA / AFP) (Photo credit should read FADEL SENNA/AFP/Getty Images)

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As Meghan Markle reportedly prepares to be feted with a second baby shower thrown by sister-in-law Kate Middleton, her lavish first shower held last month in New York City is increasingly being criticized by royal experts as “over the top,” “in poor taste” and inappropriate for a member of the British monarchy.

The U.S.-born former TV actress, expecting her first child with Prince Harry, flew to New York City last month on a private jet, where she spent several nights and dined at upscale restaurants before being honored Feb. 19 with a shower thrown by A-list friends Serena Williams and Amal Clooney.

The shower took place in the $75,000-per-night Grand Penthouse Suite at The Mark Hotel, with the Duchess of Sussex’s entire shower journey estimated to cost about $500,000, according to The Daily Mail.

The shower itself was a small, intimate affair with some of the Meghan’s close celebrity gal pals, but it became a public spectacle when the media gathered outside The Mark to photograph the arrival and departure of Clooney, Gayle King and other guests.

“I think what Meghan’s got to realize is she cannot live life in the royal family like an A-list Hollywood star,” said Anna Pasternak, who wrote biographies on Princess Diana and Wallis Simpson, in an interview for Yahoo News’ “The Royal Box.”

“Within the monarchy it requires a very different set of behavior,” Pasternak added. “You cannot have it all. You cannot have your freedom and this privilege. … It’s not a fairy tale. Recognize that and live with the consequences.”

Pasternak added that the shower itself “was in very poor taste,” especially given the fact that the U.K. is in a state of anxiety over its efforts to leave the European Union and with many Britons struggling financially.

Pasternak also said it’s hypocritical of Meghan, who shows her concerns for the environment by wearing sustainable fashion, to fly by private jet.

“You cannot on the one hand, say to the people: ‘Save the planet, save plastic,’ and then be revving up a private jet with a massive carbon footprint for a lavish baby shower in New York,” Pasternak added. “I don’t think it looks good and I don’t think it’s appropriate.”

Pasternak’s criticism was echoed by Dickie Arbiter, the former spokesman for Queen Elizabeth II.

“It was a bit over the top in terms of expense and the way she got there,” Arbiter said about the shower and Meghan’s private jet travel in an interview this week with Us Weekly.

Arbiter added that baby showers are “very much an American thing,” declaring, “We don’t do it here in the U.K.”

Actually, Arbiter may be a bit out of step with the times, with reports saying that Kate plans to host some kind of celebration in London, though, yes, the event may not be called a “shower.”

“There is still going to be some sort of private baby-centric event for Meghan’s UK people, and Kate will host,” a royal source told Us Weekly. “Her glam people and other relatives will be there. Not sure if it’s a total baby ‘shower,’ but you could probably call it that.”

The “glam people and other relatives” at the party is expected to include Meghan’s mother, Doria Ragland, who is expected to fly from Los Angeles to be with her daughter when she gives birth sometime in April, Harpers Bazaar reported.

Meanwhile, the Duchess of Sussex also was called out this week for parading around in stylish and sometimes pricey maternity outfits for royal events, with the combined total of her ensembles estimated to cost more than $600,000 — all of which reportedly comes out of royal funds. However, some Meghan fans defended her need to dress elegantly as being essential to her royal role.

Pasternak sees in Meghan a need to be the center of attention, and not just because she currently is a mom-to-be. Pasternak said this need could hurt her relationships with other members of the royal family, including sister-in-law Kate, with whom she has or has not been feuding, depending on whose report you read.

“I don’t think she [Meghan] understands that she can’t be this international star on a global stage. That has to be the Queen, then Charles, then William and Kate,” Pasternak said.

But Pasternak added that this need could also undermine the long-term survival of the 1,000-year-old monarchy.

“They have to be the stars. That’s how you ensure continuity of the monarchy,” she added. “The House of Windsor has done incredibly well to stay together when so many other European houses have collapsed. And they’ve done that because they (recognize) it’s the monarch who has to be the main event.”

Martha Ross is a features writer who covers everything and anything related to popular culture, society, health, women’s issues and families. A native of the East Bay and a graduate of Northwestern University and Mills College, she’s also a former hard-news and investigative reporter, covering crime and local politics.

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